Our lives are enriched by art. Most people enjoy listening to music, looking at a beautiful painting, reading a novel, watching films, going to the theatre, all of these, and many more, are artistic expressions. We get a lot of joy from these things. It enhances our society and culture. It is a way of spreading values and meaning across a wide range of people. We get so much from watching art someone else has created, but did you know that by getting involved in creative pursuit of your own, you will garner so many more benefits. While in the act of creating, the brain actually has a boost in well-being. We all know on some subconscious level that retaining art is beneficial to us, but why is this? Let’s have a look at some reasons how artistic expression can enhance our lives:
Art as Meditation
Meditation has many benefits for our mental health. It can reduce stress, and allow you to become more calm, peaceful, and balanced. If you have not developed the ability to meditate effectively, then perhaps you would be better off starting an artistic pursuit. While we are in the act of creating, whether that be painting, writing, or dancing, etc., our minds become so engrossed in the act of creating that the outside world seems to melt away, and there is nothing left but you and the work. You are existing in the present, where there is no regret of the past or anticipation of the future. You can exist as you were meant to in those moments. This has some clear benefits on your mental health, as seen in meditation. It also has the ability to enhance your awareness, and it can enable you to develop a better way of dealing with your thoughts and feelings. It can make you more accepting of other people in general.
It Enhances Your Brain-Power
Taking up an artistic pursuit will have a positive impact on your brain. Art can actually enhance the way your brain functions in many different ways. It can affect your brain wave patterns and emotions which means it can calm you and affect your outlook. Performing some kind of art can increase the serotonin levels in your brain. Serotonin is a happy hormone, so in effect, art will make you happier. It can have a positive effect on your memory too. When you are in the act of creating, your influences will come from so many sources you will earn to harness these sources and use them to your own benefit, making you more adept at developing theories and holding out your own in discussions. If you choose to play music, maybe you used to play guitar, and now you want to Restart Guitar lessons. Playing music is especially good at making the connection between the opposite hemispheres of the brain stronger. It means you will find it easier to share and use information in your own brain. The mental health benefits in older people are far more pronounced. If an older person takes up some form of art, they can slow their cognitive decline and even improve it within a few months. It enhances their general level of well-being pretty quickly too.
Art is by Nature Social
Art is generally created with an audience in mind. It is a start of a conversation; it is meant to exhibit something meaningful about life and society or show something beautiful or ugly. Art is meant to touch the observer in some way and provoke thought and consciousness. All this means that art is by its very nature a social thing. Even a pursuit that seems to be rather solitary such as writing is, in fact, a social endeavor. You write to an audience, and you want to convey ideas and stories that mean something. That means you have to enhance how you communicate in order to achieve this. This can widen your vocabulary or enhance your ability to pain or draw, etc. Additionally, once you have been creating art for a while, you will eventually want someone to observe it. That means you are likely to join a class or go to artistic events and join in with the conversations at these events. If you are a rather solitary person, art can enhance your life by giving you a passion that can be shared. Your work can open up debate, and you can learn a lot from other like-minded people. You are never lonely when you have an artistic pursuit to enjoy.
